ART

EAST COAST DEBUT French artist Bénédicte Peyrat paints in a classical, allegorical style reminiscent of the 17th and 18th centuries, but her portraits also feature a modern touch of cynicism. This is her first American exhibit. Through Saturday, Tuesday–Saturday, 11 a.m.–6 p.m., Morgan Lehman Gallery, 317 Tenth Ave., between 28th and 29th streets, 212-268-6699, free.

DANCE

WALTZ INTO MY LIFE The Rio de Janeiro-based choreographer Marcia Milhazes and her dance company make their New York debut with “Tempo de Verão” (“Summertime”). Ms. Milhazes used her fascination with waltzes to manipulate memories of family to create the piece. Thursday–Saturday, 7:30 p.m., Dance Theater Workshop, 219 W. 19th St., between Seventh and Eighth avenues, 212-924-0077, $20 general, $12 members.

FOOD & DRINK

BEYOND SPICY ROLLS “Exploring Japanese Food Culture” is a talk presented by the Japan Society in conjunction with Japanese Restaurant Week in New York. The talk features the chief executive officer of Kikkoman, Yuzaburo Mogi, author Elizabeth Andoh, and chefs Daniel Boulud and Masaharu Morimoto. The moderator is a food writer for Vogue magazine, Jeffrey Steingarten. Restaurants participating in Japanese Restaurant Week include Soba-ya restaurant (223 E. 9th St. at Stuyvesant Street, 212-533-6966) and Takahachi Tribeca (145 Duane St., between Church Street and West Broadway, 212-571-1830). Today, 2:30–6 p.m., Japan Society, 333 E. 47th St., between First and Second avenues, free. Online registration required at japansociety.org.

MUSIC

GERSHWIN COMES ALIVE The 2007 American Musicals Project Gala concert features Broadway actress Victoria Clark, who performs works from the George Gershwin songbook. The program is based on arrangements of 18 of Gershwin’s favorite songs: After his 1934 concert tour, he gave the arrangements to Simon & Schuster, and they have not been performed since. The concert is directed by Scott Alan Evans and features pianist Linda Hall. The American Musicals Project celebrates great composing artists of musical theater in performance at the New-York Historical Society. Tonight, 6:30 p.m., N-YHS, 170 Central Park West at 77th Street, 212-873-3400 ext. 305, $75–$500.

KIRCHNER HONORED The Orion String Quartet performs an all-Leon Kirchner program, including a premiere of his Quartet No. 4 for Strings. Other pieces include his Quartets 1 and 2 for Strings, and Quartet No. 3 for Strings and Tape. Wednesday, 7:30 p.m., Lincoln Center, Alice Tully Hall, Broadway and 65th Street, 212-875-5788, $30–$52.

READINGS

SHAMROCK SHAKES “Beyond Green Beer: In Search of Irish New York” is a group discussion and reading about the effects of the 19th-century immigration wave of Irish to the city and how that influx shaped the city then and now. Panelists include authors Frank McCourt, Pete Hamill, Dan Barry, Nuala O’Faolain, and Terry Golway. The talk is moderated by Peter Quinn, and is presented by the Lower East Side Tenement Museum. Tonight, 6 p.m., Lolita Bar, 266 Broome St., between Orchard and Allen streets, 212-431-0233, free.

SCULPTURE

COLORS FALLING DOWN The installation sculpture “The Rhapsody of Chaos” (2007), above, by Lisa Hoke, was inspired by sunlight that filtered into the artist’s studio during the midafternoon hours. Ms. Hoke used colored, filtered gel boxes to create the fantastical installation. Through Saturday, Tuesday–Saturday, 11 a.m.–6 p.m., Elizabeth Harris Gallery, 529 W. 20th St., between Tenth Avenue and the West Side Highway, 212-463-9666, free.

TALKS

FROM THE BEGINNING The Grand Central Academy of Art presents a new lecture series that examines the elements and characteristics of classicism that exist in Western art history. As part of its first lecture, the academy features a former director of the Dahesh Museum of Art and an editor of Fine Art Connoisseur magazine, Peter Trippi, who discusses the evolution of classicism in Europe and America after 1850. Tonight, 6:30 p.m., General Society of Mechanics Library, 20 W. 44th St., between Fifth and Sixth avenues, mezzanine level, 212-730-9646 ext. 109, $10 general, free for students and members.

A DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE The often-controversial author of “The Trouble With Islam Today: A Muslim’s Call for Reform in Her Faith” (St. Martin’s), Irshad Manji, discusses her new PBS documentary, “Faith Without Fear,” which airs in April. The documentary focuses on the challenges of being a progressive Muslim woman and the need to voice her opinion even though it is often met with fierce opposition. A host of CBS’s “60 Minutes,” Lesley Stahl, leads the discussion, which is presented by the “Intersections” lecture series of New York University’s Wagner School of Public Service. Tonight, 5 p.m., Puck Building, Skylight Ballroom, 295 Lafayette St. at Houston Street, 212-981-5201, free.

GET YOURSELF FAMOUS The first lecture of the Riverhouse Art and Design Series features the owner and director of Bellwether Gallery, Becky Smith, who discusses the artist’s process of working with a gallery to build a collection. The series is curated by the deputy director of the P.S. 1 Contemporary Art Center, Brett Littman. Wednesday, 7 p.m., 4 World Financial Center, 250 Vesey St. at North End Avenue, 888-300-1732, free.

UNDER SCRUTINY The Review Panel, presented by the National Academy Museum and artcritical.com, discusses four recent exhibits, including those of Cora Cohen at Jason McCoy Gallery and Odd Nerdrum at Forum Gallery. Participants in the discussion include a writer for the Brooklyn Rail, Joan Waltomath, and a writer for the New Criterion, Karen Wilkin. A contributor editor for The New York Sun, David Cohen, is moderator of the event. Friday, 6:45 p.m., National Academy Museum, 1083 Fifth Ave. at 89th Street, 212-996-1908, $5 general, free for students and members.

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